Flowers 101

Cut flower Care Basics

— Beautiful blooms. Select the freshest flowers you can find. Stems should be sturdy, not mushy or squashed.

— Keep it clean. Clean tools, clean vase, clean water.

— Prep work. Prepare your flowers for design work by removing leaves and thorns, giving stems a fresh cut, and placing them in clean, cold water. Florists refer to this set of steps as “conditioning” or “processing” flowers.